


Sweet Dreams

by Joking611



Series: Cari'ssi'mi Drabbles [13]
Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-13
Updated: 2016-10-13
Packaged: 2018-08-22 04:29:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8272889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joking611/pseuds/Joking611
Summary: A quiet night on the Normandy isn't as quiet as Shepard expected.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Facebook group drabble challenge. Prompt = "Songs and Music".

The Normandy was quiet.

Shepard wandered through the crew deck carrying a cup of coffee. She took a sip as she paused in front of the medbay. The coffee was acceptable even if the Cerberus logo on the mug was not.

She considered going in for a moment, but decided to let Chakwas sleep. The doctor didn't need to hear her commander's tale of woe. Didn't need to hear how she felt lost and abandoned. How Thessia was supposed to have been her path to Liara, but while the familiarity of the estate had been comforting, Liara's absence felt even more pronounced there than it had aboard the ship. Karin would remind her that she should be grateful just to be alive. She was grateful, but she also felt disconnected and used.

A few dozen aimless steps left her in front of her XO's office. Miranda was no doubt awake, probably watching her this very moment, but the Cerberus operative's company was most definitely not what she sought during her sleepless roaming.

She found herself drifting back to the elevator, but when she entered it, she selected the CIC instead of returning to her cabin. 

As Sarah stepped out into the CIC she was again struck at how empty this new ship felt. At 216 meters long she was just over twice the volume of the old Normandy, and just under twice the mass. The original Normandy had never felt crowded, but with 52 crew members on board, she never felt empty. The 36 members of the crew on the SR-2 were barely enough to make the ship feel occupied, particularly just after oh two hundred.

This Cerberus crew maintained no illusion of following Alliance protocols, but most maritime practices were followed all the same. The officer of the deck was leaning against the ship's status display, just forward of Kelly Chamber's station. He nodded at Shepard as she shuffled past, returning his attention to his omni-tool when she didn't respond.

There were no other crew visible as she circled the CIC, but it was as she passed in front of the command deck that she heard it. There was a voice, barely audible over the background hum of engines and life support.

_"Lay thee down now and rest."_

Intrigued, Shepard reversed direction and stepped up onto the command deck and started towards the cockpit. As she approached, the voice became more distinct.

 _"Bright angels beside_  
  
_My darling abide._  
  
_They will guard thee at rest."_

The voice stopped as she entered the cockpit.

There, in his command couch, was Joker, fast asleep. Sarah wasn't surprised. He had very little to do until they reached Omega, which wasn't for two more days. She also knew Joker had often slept in the cockpit on the SR-1 even when his relief was on duty. She hadn't expected this new Normandy would be any different, especially without another pilot on board.

What was a surprise was who else was in the cockpit.

"EDI?" Shepard kept her voice low.

"Shepard."

"I didn't expect your interface would be active."

"I am never offline, Shepard, even when I do not manifest a holographic presence."

Sarah considered her next question, knowing it would make it back to The Illusive Man, but also acknowledging that she didn't care.

"Were you... singing?"

"Yes, Shepard."

Damn literal machines. One question answered. " _Why_ were you singing EDI?"

There was a pause this time before the AI responded. "I have observed that Mister Moreau becomes agitated after the rest of the crew go off duty. I hypothesized that the absence of background conversations contributed to a feeling of isolation. As he tends to become confrontational when I engage him in direct conversation, I tested the effects of talking to him after he would fall asleep. The results were promising."

Shepard took another sip of her coffee. "Results?"

"Mister Moreau would sleep for longer periods, and would behave in a less adversarial manner when awakened."

"So, how did you go from talking to singing?"

"Mister Moreau often has nightmares. Research has proven that soothing music can positively influence cardiac and respiratory function, in addition to improving the quality of sleep."

Shepard was fascinated. She looked down at her sleeping helmsman. "How did you know he was having nightmares?"

"He would awaken by screaming your name, Shepard."

Sarah didn't reply, but after a few moments simply nodded before she turned and left the cockpit.

"Logging you out," she heard before the singing began again.

_"Lullaby and goodnight..."_

 

 

 


End file.
